Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams

An evil warlord, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, has aligned himself with
the forces of darkness, bringing an army of gruesome monsters and
zombie samurai under his command. As a young warrior named Soki,
you must hunt down Toyotomi and defeat him before an ancient Japan
is ravaged.

Capcom's Onimusha games are best remembered for their exquisite
art direction and fantastic character designs, as well as for the
excellent role-playing action. Dawn of Dreams isn't just about
throwing new characters into the mix, either, as there is
innovation here that makes it the pinnacle of the series.

Soki, equipped with any one of a number of mystical swords, can
slash and carve through hordes of monsters, stopping only to absorb
their souls and replenish health and magic power. You can also
carry a large inventory of items, from handy medicines to magical
jewellery, mostly found scattered about the detailed environments
or prised from treasure chests.

Along for the ride will be a few companions - one of which will
fight by your side. You can switch between Soki and his partner
whenever needed, or simply give out orders, such as to attack
all-out or drop back to recover health. Everyone's skills can be
improved from experience gathered in combat, unlocking acrobatic
new moves or boosting magical abilities.

While the levels are teeming with creatures to slay, there are
also puzzles to crack and secret locations to sniff out. This makes
the game just as much a cerebral challenge as it is a
button-smashing frenzy of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-style
action.

The hellish enemies may be fearsome, but the one true villain
here is the stubborn game camera that tends to pan away from
whatever it is you want to look at. Apart from that one flaw, this
is an absorbing tale.

Endgame: Adventure through a Japanese fantasy
of mythological demon warriors and unusual heroes - we recommend
it.